Episode 2: A Brief History of the American Southwest for Kids

Settling Down

For over 10,000 years, communities grew in the desert, with elaborate roads and structures that remain today. The complexity of Chaco Canyon’s architecture, engineering, and governance demonstrates the sophistication of the Southwestern cultures.

In Episode 2, we learn about how these settlements flourished in the Southwest, and how they were interconnected with communities thousands of miles away. We see the development of roadways following trade routes that are still used today, along with architecture that celebrates celestial mysteries, and engineered waterways designed to transport precious water resources to grow foods to feed thousands of people.

We will be joined by Chaco Canyon Interpretive Center educator Nathan Hatfield, as well as Mary Weahkee from the New Mexico Center for Archaeology, as well as Pueblo educator Jon Ghahate.